Panic In Yasothon - Massive Cracks Under Houses

[george]

Panic in Yasothon as massive cracks appear under houses

YASOTHON: -- Villagers in Thailand's north-eastern province of Yasothon expressed fears for their safety yesterday after discovering massive cracks in the ground under their houses, which they believed to have been caused by the 26 December earthquake in Indonesia's Sumatra Island.

According to Mr. Sathit Praimai, a resident of Baan Pakpeng in Muang district, deep cracks have appeared under five houses in the village, and in some cases the houses have sunk so far that the door and window frames have become detached from the doors and windows.

As a result, he said, the village had descended into a state of panic, with affected villagers sending their children and grandchildren to stay with neighbours amid fears for their safety.

Although geologists have not yet examined the 50-60 centimetre-deep cracks, local residents, including Mr. Sawaeng Phumsri believe that the cause could be the earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, which caused massive tsunami waves throughout Asia on 26 December.

Mr. Sawaeng said that on the day the earthquake struck, he was fishing in the Chee River when suddenly the water level dropped, before rising again to crash into the river bank.

--TNA 2005-02-19